Hardship
by Greyy-Eyess
Summary: Dib reflects on his mother's death during a report on what he wants to be when he grows up. And he can't help but wonder...why is Zim acting so troubled? One-Shot. Mild ZADF near the end if you squint your eyes hard.


_ Little 6-year-old Dib looked at his mother again. He wondered again why she was in this hospital building and why she couldn't get out of bed to play with him._

_ "Mom, lets go play outside!" Dib suggested for what seemed like the millionth time. It was a beautiful day outside. The birds were chirping, there wasn't a single visible cloud in the sky, and the temperature was warm. You normally don't get much good weather like this in April, so Dib wanted to soak up all the sunlight and warmth he could._

_ His mother, Amber, smiled and took Dib's hand. "Not today, kiddo."_

_ Dib let her hold his hand, but he pouted. "But mom! It's so pretty-full outside!" he complained._

_ "Pretty-full isn't a word, dummy," 5-year-old Gaz muttered from the other side of the room, her eyes glued to her video game._

_ Dib was about to snap at his little sister, but his mom squeezed his hand, signaling him to ignore her._

_ "Mom…why won't you move around anymore? Why won't you play with me? Why won't you come home?" Dib bit his tongue to keep from spilling out even more questions._

_ Amber looked at her son with a pained expression. "Mommy is just sick, sweetie." She paused to inhale sharply and cough painfully._

_ Recognition flew into Dib's brown eyes. "So you just have a cold, Mom?"_

_ Amber forced a smile onto her pale face. "Something like that…now why don't you go home now, I think I need to take a nap."_

_Dib nodded. "'Night, Mom!" He trotted away after his sister and his father, who had both been very quiet during their time with Amber. Gaz was just quiet because she was locked in her video game world, but Dib was confused on why Professor Membrane was so awkwardly silent. Usually when his father and mother were together they would joke and laugh, even have the occasional drink together. Not to mention they would spend hours at a time talking to each other._

_ Both Amber and Professor Membrane were opposites, but as the old saying goes, opposites attract. Amber had a bubbly personality, had short blonde hair, and was quite interested in the paranormal. Professor Membrane had a very logical mind, and barely smiled, had long black hair, and was interested in "real" science. But, when the two met at Kollege, they were instantly in love._

_ So, not only were Amber and the Professor husband and wife, they were also best friends._

_ So why didn't he talk to her?_

_ As they left the room, Dib saw lots and lots of doctors and nurses making their way to his mom's room. He wondered why, but then thought that it must be because she was such an amazing person to talk to that they can't get away from her. And maybe that's why the Professor wasn't talking to her, because he was jealous of all the other people wanting to talk to her._

_ Satisfied with this conclusion, Dib strutted down the hospital hallways, completely oblivious that his mother's heart, Dib's everlasting lullaby, had slowly come to a stop._

"And that is why I want to be a paranormal investigator when I grow up. My mom passed down her interests to me. The end."

Dib looked at his classmates and handed his report to Ms. Bitters. He walked to his seat, ignoring the gossip that was already starting to spread about his loss.

He folded his arms on his desk and stared at the clock until class ended, not bothering to listen to the other kids' reports.

Once the skool bell rung, Dib waited until he was the last one in the classroom to walk outside. And to his surprise, a certain green alien was waiting for him by the skool entrance/exit.

"Hello, Dib-Human." He greeted me, crossing his arms.

"Uh, hi."

Zim looked at me, tapping his foot. "So…Dib…I didn't know that your mother had passed away."

Dib clenched his hands into fists, his fingernails digging into his palms. "She isn't dead," he insisted through gritted teeth.

Zim cocked an invisible eyebrow. "Oh, really? Well then, how do you explain that you have never seen her again? Why she never came back from your pathetic-human-hospital?"

Dib looked away, not wanting to show the alien his tears that were beginning to form. "…I…I can just feel it in my bones. She's alive. I know it."

Zim was about to retort something, but bit back his remark. He needed to get to the real reason why he had waited to speak with the boy.

"Anyway, Dib…I just wanted to let you know…" Zim's voice trailed off.

Dib looked at Zim with a curious expression. "Let me know what?"

It was now Zim's turn to look away from Dib. "You…you have won."

Dib looked at Zim, even more confused now. "Eh? What are you talking about? What have I won?" he asked.

Zim heaved a sigh. "You have won the battle," he said, his voice almost inaudible.

"What battle?"

Zim didn't care if Dib saw his tears now. He looked at Dib and snapped, "THE battle, Dib! Our epic battle over Earth!"

Dib flinched back in surprise. "What? You're…giving up? You're going home?"

Zim looked down at his feet. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm staying. I have to stay, stupid."

Dib tilted his head to the side, his heart still racing from Zim's confession. "What's the point in staying if you aren't going to try to take over Earth anymore?"

"You just don't get it, do you?"

"No, I really don't."

Zim bit his lip. "This whole time…my mission had been a lie. My leaders sent me into exile here, hoping I would die." Zim twirled around, afraid of the response he might get, and ran away to his house.

Dib watched Zim go, and was surprised that he found that his feet were racing after him. But it only took him to realize why.

You see, Dib realized that he wasn't the only one with a great loss. Zim had just had the biggest loss in his lifetime. The loss of his pride, his dignity, his title as an Irken Invader, and his mission. And Dib, surprisingly enough, wanted his shoulder to be the one that the defective Irken could cry on.


End file.
